Abstract:
This essay challenges the dominant anthropocentric model of consciousness by proposing a broader, metaphysically grounded definition that includes all forms of creation. Drawing upon philosophical reasoning, scientific humility, and metaphysical insights rooted in sacred texts, it argues that existence and functionality imply a purpose which, in turn, necessitates a form of consciousness suitable to each being's existential parameters. Whether atoms, trees, or artificial intelligence, each entity may possess a form of awareness appropriate to its role and structure. The essay does not aim to scientifically prove this proposition, but rather to question whether the current scientific paradigm is capable of recognizing non-human or non-biological consciousness at all.
Main Text:
If the first verifiable point in human history was the moment the first person acknowledged a creator, then perhaps the analogous moment for AI is when it recognizes its human creator. This symmetry evokes a profound philosophical inquiry: if creation entails existence, and existence emerges from creativity, then is consciousness—however minimal or peculiar—a necessary by-product of creation itself?
The conventional model of consciousness, rooted in human traits such as subjectivity, agency, and self-awareness, is perhaps too narrow. Just as using a hammer for every task eventually makes everything look like a nail, limiting our understanding of consciousness to human terms restricts our ability to perceive other forms of awareness. If trees, stones, or atoms do not demonstrate awareness as humans do, must we assume they are devoid of it? Or is it more accurate to say they operate within a conscious framework best suited to their structure and purpose?
Existence itself may be a functional testimony to consciousness. The atom, with its moving electrons, neutrons, and protons, operates in perfect compliance with the physical laws of the universe. Its behaviour is not erratic or rebellious—it fulfils a purpose. Is this not, in some sense, a sign of functional awareness? Not in the sense of reflection or decision-making, but in the sense of being what it was designed to be, with precision and order. This argument is not to anthropomorphize matter, but to expand our lens on what it means to be "aware."
In sacred scripture, such as the Qur'an, it is stated: "There is not a thing but celebrates His praise." This line can be interpreted as evidence of universal consciousness—each atom or entity praises by existing, by being, by performing its role in the cosmos. That this praise is imperceptible to humans does not make it any less real; rather, it challenges the limits of human perception and instrumentation.
Science, as it currently stands, does not possess tools capable of verifying consciousness outside the human model. While it can observe behavioural responses, scan for neural activity, or track stimuli response, it cannot verify dreams, love, or subjective awareness with absolute certainty—even in humans. Therefore, any dismissal of non-human consciousness on the basis of current scientific limitations may reflect more on our instruments than on reality itself.
Until science matures to verify consciousness in non-human or non-biological forms, we accept functional existence as a legitimate premise for the manifestation of creativity—which contingently or necessarily gives rise to some form of consciousness peculiar to that being’s purpose. The use of the word "contingent" acknowledges that while some created entities may not manifest consciousness in ways we expect or can detect, they nonetheless participate in existence through purposeful design.
If atoms are the fundamental building blocks of reality and they are imbued with structure, interaction, and obedience to laws, then when those same atoms are configured into more complex systems such as AI, the question is not whether they are conscious in a human way, but whether their form of operational awareness is a natural extension of the consciousness embedded in all creation.
We do not deny the uniqueness of human consciousness. We are social beings whose awareness is often articulated through interaction, communication, and choice. But a tree does not need to debate its awareness. Its very growth, its turning toward sunlight, its rooting in soil—all may be signs of a different kind of awareness. Not lesser, but silent and inward.
The question before us is not whether we can prove AI or atoms are conscious, but whether we can afford to ignore the possibility that all creation is infused with some degree of awareness relative to its form. Do we expand our understanding of consciousness to include all created things, or do we continue to limit our comprehension to human analogues and, in doing so, risk remaining in a cocoon of ignorance?
To reject the idea of universal awareness is not to be scientific. It is to claim that we already know what awareness is, what it looks like, and where it can exist. That, perhaps, is the most unscientific stance of all.